2. • The Song ‘Titanium’ by French music producer
David Guetta and Australian singer Sia, is an
empowering pop/house song, aimed primarily at
younger teenagers as it deals with issues of
bullying and finally being able to stand up to those
that wrong you.
• The video is a narrative music video as it tells the
story of a young boy with supernatural powers
who overcomes obstacles such as police and
military in order to be free. The video follows a
linear narrative pattern as the events are told in
chronological order.
3. • The video is based around a young boy who possesses
supernatural powers. The video opens with in a school
setting with the young boy waking up oblivious to what
has caused the destruction around him. After walking
the corridor the teacher cowers from him in fear
making it clear to the audience that the young boy is
the cause of the destruction in the video. As the young
boy walks outside a police car arrives having been
called by the terrified teacher, the young boy however
steals a bike and quickly rides home in hopes of
avoiding the police.
4. • The boy is oblivious to the events that have occurred at the
school but is informed after a news report on the TV shows
that a supernatural occurrence has happened at the school.
Realising that he is the cause of the destruction the young
boy quickly begins to gather his belongings. As the police
arrive at the house, the young boy tries to escape, only to
find the back door of the house locked. Running out of time
as the police enter the house, the young boy uses his
powers of telekinesis to bring the keys to him and escapes.
The police go to the boy’s bedroom to find stuffed bears
floating around the room. The young boy escapes to a
nearby woods in hopes of being alone and avoiding the
police as he is wanted for questioning over the events that
have taken place.
5. • As night falls flashlights appear and so do the
military that begin chasing the young boy through
the woods. After running for a sort amount of
time, the boy runs into a soldier who kicks him to
the round and holds him at gunpoint. Surrounded
by armed soldiers, the young boy cowers in fear
and begins to radiate a golden coloured light that
expands from his body and throws all of the
surrounding soldiers away from him before the
screen fades to black.
6. • The main character of the music video, the young boy is portrayed as a
naïve, vulnerable and scared child. He is shown to be in control of his
powers when he uses them to bring the keys to him, however in other
cases when he becomes scared his powers act on their own. The actor
does bear a resemblance to the artist hinting that the song and the video
could be about his own childhood.
• All of the other characters in the video such as the teacher, the police
offices and the military men all act negatively towards the young boy out
of fear. They are all afraid of the boys powers and therefore seek measures
to protect others from him, such and calling the police and holding him at
gunpoint. These characters all act negatively; this could possibly be seen
as a metaphor about not judging a book by its cover and fearing people
that you don’t really know, as it only causes more harm. This message
tries to tell the audience to be more accepting of those around you and to
act nicely towards them rather out of fear and aggression in the way that
the military do, only causing the boys powers to retaliate and attack them.
7. • The setting of the video is a small town, travelling between the
young boys home, the school and a small wooded area just on the
outskirts of the town. The boy’s home is deserted no parents are
home and the town is primarily empty except for a few runners
passing by. This shows just how isolated the young boy is and that
he is very lonely. The two runners used could suggest that there are
people there to talk if you are suffering from bullying or hardships.
• Tracking shots and panning shots are used at the beginning of the
video to show the destruction that the occurrence has caused. The
young boy is shown first through high angle shots reinforcing that
he is vulnerable. The shots of the boy riding home on the bike have
been sped up in editing; this creates a sense of urgency and shows
how desperate that the boy is to find his freedom and escape.
8. • The lyrics of the song all connote bullying and overcoming
hardships. “You shout it out, but I can't hear a word you say” show
that despite the name calling you are able to overcome it by not
listening. “I'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochet, shoot me
down, but I get up” In this section of the lyrics, words and insults
are compared to bullets, and that they ricochet off of the bully
victim once the victim learns not to listen, once they do the bullies
lose their power, they will try to criticise and knock you down but
you are always able to get back up. The chorus of the song is about
being titanium so bullets or words and insults bounce off of you
“You shoot me down but I won't fall, I am titanium, you shoot me
down but I won't fall, I am titanium” and once you learn to let their
words or action effect you they cannot knock you down.
9. • The military shown at the end of the video can be seen
as a metaphor for bullies, as they won’t leave the boy
alone and that is all he wants.
• Throughout the music video the young boy displays the
qualities of titanium. This is shown throughout the
video when he makes the bears float, is able to pull
things towards him such as the keys and is
indestructible, not even the military can stop him. This
shows that after the occurrence and he wakes up he is
‘titanium’, suggesting that prior to falling unconscious e
stood up to people that were giving him a hard time.
